Stray Dog
by Arcade Android
Summary: Will agrees to house Chilton after the FBI believes him to be the Chesapeake Ripper. He is determined to prove Hannibal's guilt, and along the way forms unexpected relationships with both Chilton and Hannibal.
1. Chapter 1

Chapter One: _Another Stray_

Frederick Chilton was standing on the porch soaked in blood. The look on his face was sheer confusion and Will Graham looked at him, he knew exactly why Chilton was here.

"Hannibal." He mumbled.

"Will…The FBI thinks I murdered Abel Gideon and two FBI agents. I don't know what to do, you have to help me…" Chilton pleaded.

Will had so many thoughts rushing through his mind at once. He could turn in Chilton, but he knew Hannibal was behind this. But if the FBI got a chance to investigate Chilton then it could possibly lead them back to Hannibal. After all, Chilton isn't exactly "killer material." But when Will looked at Chilton, his cold exterior he had been donning for the past few months had gone away, and he truly wanted to help him. He looked at Chilton like another stray that wandered on his porch.

"Come inside." Will said.

Chilton's face relaxed and he followed Will inside the house. The dogs followed in suit and Will walked over to the stairs.

"The bathroom's upstairs, you can borrow some of my clothes." Will said.

"I have some of mine, but thank you…" Chilton replied, and the two shared an awkward glance.

"I'll think about what to do with you." Will said.

Chilton nodded sorrowful and walked upstairs.

Will didn't know what the next step was to all of this. Was he supposed to let Chilton sleep on the floor with the dogs and gain another roommate, or was he supposed to turn him in? Hannibal's sly smiles were enough to let him know that Chilton was definitely not the Chesapeake Ripper…and the fact that Chilton is disabled only furthered that conclusion. Will looked to his dogs for support, but of course they'll love any newcomer to this weird pack of misfits.

Chilton walked downstairs, freshly showered and rid of red. Will was sitting in his living room and stood up.

"I've made a decision. I decided to let you stay here, but only because I don't want Hannibal to get away with this." Will said "It won't be easy Chilton, you're going to have to stay in here at all times. No one can know you are here."

"Of course…th-thank you."

"I'm going to try to pin as much evidence on Hannibal as I can, now that I'm out. But we have to lay low. If Hannibal finds out you're here he will not be happy." Will replied.

"He doesn't want either of us dead."

"No. But he likes me…and it won't look good if I'm helping out a rival in his field. It's going to look like I like you more." He explained.

"But he knows you despise him." Chilton said, confused.

"He thinks I'm over it, I resumed my therapy with him…He's an odd man, Chilton." Will said. "But I can use it to my advantage."

"Okay…" Chilton said, pulling his sleeves over his hands. "Is it always this cold in here?"

"Not usually. I guess no one's really been living in here for a while…I'll set up some blankets in my extra room upstairs. There's a couch in there, is that alright?" Will asked.

"Anything is alright if it means I'm not caught for something I didn't do..."

"They're blind over there. It's ridiculous that they would think you did it. I mean…" Will had to stop himself from nearly laughing.

"What? You think I can't kill anybody?" Chilton asked.

"Well…you're not exactly threatening Chilton…" Will replied. "But that's a good thing…for the case I mean."

"Yeah…" Chilton allowed himself to agree. For the past few months Will has been ignoring him and being exceptionally cold. But now Will was letting Chilton in, and he wasn't going to miss out on the opportunity.

"But for the record, you will not be analyzing me during this visitation." Will remarked.

"I think I'm over that field for the time being." Chilton replied, a hint of humor in his voice.

"Okay, well…I hope you like macaroni and cheese. I haven't been able to get to the grocery store yet." Will said.

"I'm vegan..." Chilton said.

"Oh right...okay I have..vegetable soup." Will replied, looking in his nearly bare pantry.

"That's alright, as long as it's not Hannibal's cooking...I'm fine." Chilton said, and the two shared an uncomfortable laugh.

Chilton followed Will into the kitchen and sat at the table while Will set up two pots on the stove.

"I would love to see the look in his face if he saw me making box mac and cheese. He's so uptight he'd probably make the noodles and import the cheese." Will joked.

"I would advise against eating the noodles." Chilton said, and when they laughed it was a little more relaxed.

Will was surprised at how easy it was to talk to Chilton now. He didn't know if it was because he finally had someone who believed him, or if the shock had changed Chilton. Will could see this situation being easier than he thought.

Meanwhile, Hannibal Lecter sat alone in his office, smiling at the thought of seeing Will seated across from him once more.


	2. Chapter 2

_Author's Note: I am so excited to be writing this but before you continue I have to add that I don't normally write in novel style and I also know close to nothing about what exactly vegans eat so hopefully I got those details somewhat accurate. Things are just starting in this fic, so don't except anything ~romantic~ to happen just yet! _

Chapter Two: _Wandering Thoughts_

Will woke up the next morning comfortably but a little cold. He wasn't sweating or panicking like he used to and he chalked this up to his clear mindset towards Hannibal. Will was taken out of his thought when there was a knock on the door. He jumped out of bed, in only his t-shirt and boxer briefs and ran into the extra bedroom where Chilton was sound asleep.

Will shook Chilton awake and Chilton stared at him, frightened.

"Get up, someone's at the door, go hide in the closet!" Will whispered sharply.

Chilton immediately got up and shoved himself the room's overcrowded closet. Will walked downstairs, not even bothering to dress, and opened the door.

"Hello Jack." Will said, staring numbingly at Jack Crawford. "What brings you here so early?"

"We know who the Chesapeake Ripper is." Jack stated.

'No you don't,' Will thought, "Who?"

"Frederick Chilton." Jack replied. "We found Abel Gideon and two FBI agents dead in his home. Along with other evidence that proves he was the Ripper."

"So why are you here, if you don't mind me asking?"

"We haven't caught Dr. Chilton yet, he's somewhere on the run. I came here to ask you if you knew where he was." Jack said. "I hope you don't take offense to that."

"Jack, I don't know where Dr. Chilton is. Obviously if you have all of this evidence then you must be right." Will kept back the sarcasm and tried to sound sincere. "I've decided to let go of pairing up Hannibal and the Ripper, so if I catch wind of anything Chilton-related…I'll be sure to tell you. Did you know I resumed my therapy with Dr. Lecter?" Will asked.

"No I didn't know that…this is good Will. You're turning around and so is this investigation. I'm sorry for disturbing your morning. I'll call you if anything else comes up." Jack said.

Will nodded and watched him leave. He walked back upstairs and called for Chilton. Chilton walked out of the closet.

"Who was it?" Chilton asked.

"It was Jack…don't worry, I lead him away…" Will replied. "I have to go run some errands." Will noticed Chilton was fully dressed. "Chilton…you can borrow some of my sweatpants if you want, you look uncomfortable."

"Um, yeah…thanks." Chilton replied awkwardly.

"Okay well I'm going to go get dressed and head out…just…sit and stay." Will said.

Later that morning Will arrived at a grocery store. He walked around the isles a few times before picking up dog food, microwavable dinners, and all things vegan. On the way home, Will wondered if he was doing the right thing. He knew he was doing the wrong thing regarding the law…but he was thinking on moral terms. It only took a second of thinking about Hannibal to realize he was definitely making the right decision. He didn't want Hannibal to have the satisfaction of putting another person in prison.

Will arrived back home and found Chilton playing with the dogs, and comfortably wearing sweatpants.

"I have food for you." Will said.

"Thanks." Chilton replied.

"Should I get you a collar?" Will mused.

"Might as well. The nametag can read "if lost, call the FBI.." Chilton said.

Will laughed and started putting things away, Chilton was no longer the asshole he had to deal with for the past year, instead he was more like a friend. Will was beyond relieved to finally have someone on the same side as him.

"I have to go see Hannibal tonight." Will said as he began making breakfast. "I'm going to make him feel really special." He added sharply.

Chilton walked into the kitchen and looked at Will, unsure of what he was getting into.

"I got you soy milk, fruit, vegetables, and cereal…also some rice and pasta." Will said. "Sorry, I'm not used to buying things a vegan would eat…"

"Don't worry about it Will. That's fine." Chilton smiled, taking the items out of the paper bag.

Will and Chilton sat down at the tiny kitchen table. Will was eating eggs and toast, while Chilton had cereal in soy milk with banana. The dogs had their food as well, and everything fit together like the dysfunctional household it was.

"I'm going to get Hannibal, Chilton. You won't be staying in captivity for long…" Will promised, spreading more butter on his toast.

"Aren't you afraid?" Chilton asked.

Will smiled, "Oddly…I'm excited."

_Miles and miles away, Hannibal had finished preparing an elegant breakfast, complete with an elegant organ._

He sat at his dining table alone, and couldn't help but feel overjoyed that he and Will were going to return to their days of peace. Will was a mystery to him. Something he wanted to understand and be a part of, in one way or another. But as he thought of Will, another string of ponderings invaded his mind. Dr. Frederick Chilton. He had framed Chilton, creating beautiful art in his home, and leaving him with the credit. But Chilton was gone. Erased from existence it seemed. Wherever Chilton was, it would not be long until he was found. After all, Chilton was prey material…certainly not predator.

Hours ticked away. Chilton stayed upstairs doing old newspaper crosswords while Will answered phone calls and prepared himself for his meeting with Dr. Lecter. Finally, it was time.

"I'm heading out, stay here, I'm turning off the lights." Will stated, standing in the doorway to Chilton's new room.

"Okay…" Chilton said, but he could not hide his nervousness.

"You'll be alright…" Will reassured. It felt odd to have to reassure Chilton, but he could tell he was scared. Hannibal Lecter was not a walk in the park to deal with, he was more like a run for your life in the park, through the trees, passed the creek, over the hills, and off the cliff kind of man. He knew exactly why Chilton was nervous.

Will left Chilton and the dogs and headed over to Hannibal's. When Will arrived, the familiar door opened, and the oh so familiar man stood in the doorway.

"Will…it's good to see you." Hannibal said, his smile creeping up.

Will smiled and walked into the office, taking his usual seat, and waiting for Hannibal to take his.

"So, where shall we begin?" Hannibal asked, sitting down and crossing his legs.

"I'd rather start with us, if you don't mind." Will said. "I feel disconnected. Like one of us has their phone unplugged."

"Do you think I am the one disconnected?"

"Maybe…or maybe it's me. I guess I'm having a hard time trusting you. But I want to." Will lied thoughtfully.

"You do?" Hannibal asked slyly.

"More than you know, Dr. Lecter." Will said, being both considerate and oddly flirtatious.

The conversation went on and covered the recent events that had taken place. They touched upon Chilton but left it at the facts, and moved on to Jack's view of Will, and Will's view of Hannibal. Will made sure to act interested, focused, and subtly seductive. He knew how Hannibal's mind worked and knew what to say and how to act in order to get it interested.

Hannibal and Will walked to the door when their time was up.

"I guess I'll see you soon." Will said, looking Hannibal down, then up, very discreetly.

"Yes, you certainly will." Hannibal replied.

Will left him standing there for a few minutes. He drove back to his house enticed by the direction his relationship with Hannibal was going. He knew he had to keep himself down on Earth though, and not to let himself become overly manipulative. The goal was to manipulate Hannibal, not become Hannibal. He arrived back home and found Chilton still upstairs. He was sitting on the couch with all of the dogs, watching a movie on the small TV in that room.

"What are you doing?" Will asked curiously.

"I got…anxious, so I started flipping through channels. I found some…stupid romantic comedy…the dogs insisted we watch it." Chilton said.

Will hid a smile and sat down on the couch with Chilton.

"Hannibal doesn't know what's coming" Will said. "I have him exactly where I want him."

"And where is that?" Chilton asked.

"In the beginning stages of flirting." Will said casually.

"I probably should be confused, but I completely understand that."

The two sat in silence for a while, getting caught up in the movie that played before them. Will didn't usually watch movies and Chilton used to rarely have time to watch anything. By the end of the movie, Will and Chilton were sound asleep on the couch. Chilton and Will were both using each other to lean on and Chilton's head was comfortably placed on Will's shoulder.

The only reason why Will woke up was because the dogs wanted to go back to Will's room and the door had been closed. Will realized his awkward placement on the couch and began to nudge Chilton over. Chilton woke up confused and Will told him he was going back to his room. Chilton nodded and picked up the blankets on the floor and laid on the couch as Will went back to his own room.

Will woke up startled and jumped out of bed. He had heard a crash in the hallway and slowly made his way out of his room. He found Chilton on the floor, clearly in pain, and knelt down.

"Chilton, what happened?" He asked.

"I was just going to go to the bathroom but I…my…it's hard for me to walk and in the dark…especially."

Will could tell Chilton was ready to have mental breakdown and he put his hands on Chilton's shoulders.

"Listen to me, Frederick. You are not in danger here, I will not let Hannibal or the FBI find you." He said. "You just have to keep it together."

Chilton put his head in his hands, "My life is over…I should've known Hannibal was going to do something like this."

"There is no telling what Hannibal Lecter will do. You couldn't have known." Will said. "I will see to it that Hannibal gets what he deserves."

Will was caught off guard when Chilton embraced him for a hug. Will didn't know why he did it, but he chose to return the hug to Chilton. For a moment Will had shut his eyes, feeling an odd warmth with arms wrapped around him. He wondered if he made Chilton feel safe, because for this split second, that's how he felt.

Chilton went back to his room and Will laid down on his bed. He had no idea what he was feeling and if he should even be feeling it. Compassion towards Frederick Chilton? It almost seemed impossible. He almost felt sick. He had turned from being an arrogant prick to a sensitive and kind person, and he felt like this was the Chilton that wanted to be there all along. And then there was Hannibal. Will could feel the rush of seduction still left on his mind. He wanted to take Hannibal as far down as possible, he wanted to be in control. Will fell asleep with too many thoughts in his mind.

_Hannibal Lecter purred at the melodic banter he and Will had earlier that night. He could hardly fall asleep thinking about it. The ideas that danced in his mind were beautiful and vicious, euphoric and dangerous. He envisioned a life with Will as a life like no other. He felt so close…that he could taste it. _


	3. Chapter 3

Chapter Three:_ Hide and Seek_

A week went by and things seemed to be going smoothly for Will and Chilton. They were still feeling each other out and trying to understand one another, but overall, things seemed easy. Will was able to dodge the scent of Chilton when it came to talking with Jack and the others, and Hannibal was eating out of the palm of Will's hand.

The blinds were drawn like they had been all week and Will was sitting in his living room with Chilton and the dogs. Will was sitting in a chair and Chilton was sitting on the floor. He felt like such a stranger in a strange home and with a strange interpretation of Will Graham sitting before him. Their conversation about nothing was interrupted when there was a knock on the door. Will didn't have to say anything before Chilton got up and made his way up the stairs and swiftly as his body would take him.

Will opened the door and was shocked to see Hannibal Lecter standing in front of him.

"Hello." Hannibal said. "May I come in?"

Will pushed the dogs behind him. "Um, sure, do you need something?" He asked.

"I just thought I'd stop by and see if you were busy." Hannibal said.

"I'm not busy." Will told the truth only because it was obvious he wasn't busy. He was in a t-shirt and sweatpants; he wasn't going anywhere.

Hannibal stepped carefully through Will's living room, examining all the little details that no ordinary person would look for. Hannibal walked into Will's kitchen with Will following.

"So what did you want again, Hannibal?" Will asked.

"What? I can't stop by for a visit?" Hannibal asked, smiling at Will. "You know, you've never given me a house tour."

Will concealed his sudden anxiety and said, "You're right…well you've seen my first floor."

"So the second floor should be next, right?" Hannibal asked, working his own angle.

It was not hard for Will to pick this up at all. He knew Hannibal knew something, but he wasn't going to back down or make excuses. He took Hannibal upstairs and showed him his bedroom, the bathroom, and the second room. Will's heart began to beat again when he realized Chilton hid the blankets and his belongings when he hid. He knew Chilton was in the closet.

Hannibal walked around the room, talking about some of the things on the bookcases and whatnot. He went over to the closet.

Will began to feel hot as Hannibal moved his hand to the closet door, going on about the framework or something Will could care less about. He opened the door and Will braced himself to attack Hannibal. But the closet was empty of all things human. Will sighed in relief quietly as Hannibal closed the closet.

This meant Chilton was somewhere else.

Will and Hannibal walked out into the hallway. Will could tell Hannibal was growing more and more suspicious as the evidence against any foul play was dwindling. He leaned closer to Hannibal.

"I have something for you in my room." He whispered.

Will stepped into his room and glanced at the closet. He had no way of knowing if Chilton was in there. The door to this closet had slits and Will knew it was tempting fate to bring Hannibal back in here. Hannibal was standing a few feet from Will. Will stepped closer to Hannibal and took his face in his hands, kissing him. After a few seconds, he stopped.

"Sorry if I've been acting weird…" Will said, "I guess I've been dealing with a lot of feelings lately," he lied.

"It's alright Will…" Hannibal said, kissing him more passionately than Will had.

Will had known he was going to eventually get himself involved in this kind of situation from day one of his plan. But he didn't realize how satisfying it was going to feel. He knew it was dangerous territory; manipulation, but he figured he finally had a clear mind.

Hannibal pulled away, he had gotten a piece of what he wanted, and smiled, "I'll see you at our session tomorrow."

"I'll be anticipating it." Will replied. He watched Hannibal leave and when he saw his car drive away, he opened the closet.

Chilton stumbled out and Will helped him stay up. The closet was more crammed than Chilton thought it was going to be, so his body was tired from trying to stand without a cane or some kind of support. Chilton had tried leaning on something in the closet but it had made too much noise, so he opted not to. As Will held onto him, he met Will's gaze.

"Well that was interesting." Chilton said uncomfortably. He walked over to the bed and sat down.

"I know…it means nothing but it's definitely…I don't know…it seems long overdue somehow." Will thought aloud.

"Aren't you worried you might be inviting something unwanted in?" Chilton asked. "I know I wouldn't want Hannibal Lecter to fall in love with me…"

"I have my worries. But when I think about all the cruelty he's committed, it makes it…enjoyable." Will explained. "I know it's twisted but…a twisted scheme for a twisted man I guess."

Chilton looked up at Will.

"I want to apologize for being such a…douche to you before." He said. "I've been reevaluating my life decisions."

Will hesitated for a moment.

"I could have been nicer to you Chilton. I guess we can just move forward now." Will suggested.

"Do you think he knows?"

"Do I think Dr. Lecter knows I'm hiding you here?" Will restated. "I don't know. But if he does…I hope it's eating him alive."


	4. Chapter 4

_Author's Note: Hi readers! I'm so glad you guys seem to be enjoying this story. These first four chapters are mostly build up. I am trying to go at this at a realistic pace, or atleast as realistic as I can make it, so don't worry…there will some Willton happening soon! I just have to make the build up natural! Anyway, hope you enjoy _

Chapter Four: _He is Wounded…_

Will Graham had a zealous dream that night. He was standing in a field of long grass that moved like waves. On one side of the stretch of land he saw a dark figure with overgrown raven-black antlers. The trees behind this man were dead and twisted. They ached with an unforgiving nature. Will turned around to his view of the opposite side. Standing beyond the field was an unfamiliar dog with a bright surrounding aura. The dog stood in front of a wild but beautiful ocean and a clear sky. As he made his way to the dog the grass began to die. He began running, trying to outrun the dying ground beneath him. As he got closer to the dog it transformed into Frederick Chilton. Will held out his hand but dark antler-like vines bounded him. The last thing he saw was Chilton covered in blood.

That night Will woke up in a cold sweat. While the dream had its dark nature, the warm feeling he had when seeing Chilton by the water had made up for it. Will cursed himself for developing feelings. He figured it had to be a savior thing…that he didn't really like Chilton but that his role as Chilton's protector was affecting his emotions.

He suddenly felt sick when he remembered what he and Hannibal did the day before. Even though it gave him satisfaction in that moment…now he felt like he wanted to cry. He was the one manipulating Hannibal but he still felt like this shadow was looming over him. He felt like Hannibal was still winning. Will was not himself in that moment…nor in this one, because he took his blanket into Chilton's room and curled up on the floor in front of the couch. The weakness he felt could only be subsided knowing someone was near him. The dogs had followed him into the room and situated themselves accordingly.

A few minutes had passed and Chilton woke up. He saw the display of oddness in front of him but he didn't wear confusion. He closed his eyes and smiled gently. There was a sense of relief in his heart. This meant Will didn't despise him. It meant there was something happening here. He reopened his eyes and looked down at Will. Chilton didn't want to see these past versions of Will. They were broken, conniving and now…he is wounded. The mental damage of Hannibal's mind games and tricks had clearly worn Will out. No matter how strong this new Will seemed he knew this wasn't the end of it. The pieces still had to be glued back together.

But for now, they were being haunted by Hannibal Lecter.

Morning light came early and Will quietly went back to his room. He was hoping Chilton hadn't woken up during the night and seen him lying there, but he knew there was going to be a chance that he did. He didn't want to have to explain himself.

Around seven in the morning Will's bedside phone rang. He picked it up.

"Hello." He responded.

"Will…it's Alana."

"What is it?" Will asked. "Is something wrong?"

"No, nothing's wrong. I just wanted to see how you were doing." She said.

"It's early." Will stated.

"I know."

Will closed his eyes. "I'm fine, Alana."

"It's just…Hannibal says you seem….occupied." Alana said, choosing her words carefully.

"Well I've been out of prison for about three weeks, I've resumed my therapy with Hannibal, and there's a killer on the loose. So yes, I'm pretty occupied." Will said.

"See that's what I was going to talk to you about…they still haven't found Dr. Chilton. I was…well, me and Hannibal were wondering if you knew anything about his whereabouts."

"Alana, I already spoke with Jack about this. Why would I keep information on Chilton?" Will asked. "We didn't exactly have the best relationship."

"I know, I know…it's just Hannibal was saying you were acting-"

"You know what? Instead of wasting your time calling me, why don't you go talk to Hannibal about me some more? Unless you're already with Hannibal right now, if not, I'm sure he'd love to have you for breakfast." Will responded bitterly.

There was silence on the other end of the line.

"Alana…" Will sighed. "I'm sorry. I'm just tired of being interrogated…"

"I know Will…" She said. There was silence between them for a few seconds. "How are you Will, really?"

Will wanted so badly to tell her everything. To tell her how horrible Hannibal really was and have her believe him. To tell her that he missed what they used to have before the trust had been broken. To tell her that he housed Chilton and that even though he missed what he had with her…he had found a sense of home in Frederick.

Instead he said, "I'm clearer now."

The conversation ended soon after that and Will couldn't fall back asleep even though he wanted to.

On the other end of the line Alana had put the phone down. She turned around and faced Hannibal.

"I think he's exhausted mostly…there's nothing he's hiding." Alana said. "He's been prodded, poked, and analyzed too much in the past year. I think he's finally finding time to catch up on his sleep…maybe that's why he's acting differently."

Hannibal met Alana's eyes and said, "Then that must be it. He is wounded after all."

Hannibal walked over to Alana and kissed her forehead.

"We all are." He added.


	5. Chapter 5

Chapter Five: _Waste of a Life_

The air in Hannibal's office was filled with tension as Will faced him. They discussed Will's imprisonment and his distrust of Hannibal. Will was trying to find ways inside Hannibal's head that didn't make him feel sick, but it was hard. It was hard to face a devil and do holy things.

"I want to show you a book I have upstairs." Hannibal said.

"Alright." Will replied, following Hannibal to the small library that overlooked the office.

Hannibal pulled out a book carefully. He flipped through some of the pages.

"This book discusses a patient that was so over-interrogated that he had begun to believe he did the crime. They found that all of the questioning had destroyed his desire to plead his innocence and it had warped his mind around the idea that he had done it. I hope you didn't start to feel this way." Hannibal said.

Will wanted to scream. It was no coincidence that a few days earlier he had talked about this kind of thing with Alana Bloom and suddenly Hannibal was discussing it. Alana and Hannibal were talking about him behind his back. He felt like an animal at a zoo. Will inhaled slowly.

"There were moments where I was confused but I'm not confused anymore." Will assured.

Hannibal put the book down and stepped closer to Will. He put his hand around the back of Will's head.

"Good." He said.

Hannibal leaned in and kissed Will.

Will didn't know what to do and decided to continue to play along. He needed to get Hannibal to believe that everything was water under the bridge. Will gently pushed Hannibal against the railing as the two continued to kiss.

'I could do it…I could kill Hannibal right now.' Will thought. 'All it would take is a little push. And then whatever Beverly found would soon be discovered…Chilton would be proven innocent. Unless Hannibal found another way to hide his secret. Then there would be no hope.'

Will ignored the temptation; there were way too many risks. Hannibal lowered his hand down to Will's thigh. Will paused for a moment as Hannibal's hand traveled elsewhere. Will's hands naturally wrapped around Hannibal's neck. All Hannibal did was smile and kiss him again. Hannibal tightened his grip.

"I have to go." Will whispered.

"…Okay." Hannibal said, stepping away from Will, and watching him leave the office.

Will drove home that night as fast as he could. He didn't want to feel like he was losing something still. He had to convince himself that he was the one in charge, that he was the one pulling Hannibal's strings. He was the one who had the tune in which Hannibal danced to. Will was running high on adrenaline and raw emotions.

'What a waste of a life.' He thought; to be followed by a shadow all the time. To finally have a clear mind but still be stuck in so much heat that he felt like his mind was melting. What a waste of a life it was to everyone who encountered Hannibal Lecter. Will wasn't going to let his life waste away any longer.

Will arrived home, locked the door, and threw his jacket on the floor. Will found Chilton and the dogs upstairs. Chilton was reading a book he found on one of Will's bookshelves. It was starting to get late.

Will stood in the doorway.

"How was Hannibal…?" Chilton asked.

Will opened his mouth to speak but no words came out. Chilton looked up from his book, and noticed Will looking saddened. Chilton thought he looked like a lost puppy trying to find its family.

"Are you okay?" Chilton asked, sitting up on the couch.

Will managed a short laugh, his eyes searched for an answer through Chilton's.

"I don't…" Will hunted for words. "I don't want to sleep alone." He said without thinking.

"Oh, well you can take the dogs back." Chilton said.

"That's not…" Will looked at Chilton, embarrassed.

The two stared at each other in a silence filled with so many thoughts.

"Um…goodnight." Will said, quickly turning around.

"Wait!" Chilton exclaimed getting up from the couch and slightly wincing from the pain. "You don't have to be alone…"

Will nodded and the two walked into Will's room in the dark. The dogs followed and slept on the floor while Will and Chilton shared the bed. Chilton faced the wall and Will faced the rest of the room. The atmosphere was very awkward but when Will relived the events that had taken place earlier, he turned around and curled up against Chilton's back.

Chilton's heart stopped beating for a moment at the sudden act of compassion.

"You're not like I thought you were." Will said through the darkness.

Chilton thought about Will's statement and sighed. "I felt like people were against me, that no one took me seriously." Chilton replied. "I guess I just needed someone who knew me."

"That's how I feel." Will replied.

"Did your relationship with Hannibal…progress?" Chilton asked, he felt Will tighten his curl.

"Unfortunately."

Chilton turned around and faced Will, "What is this?" He asked, almost desperately.

Will looked nowhere, and said, "This is…comfort." He said, looking at Chilton.

Chilton studied Will gently. He didn't use a lot of effort in trying to figure him out, not this time. He saw a damaged soul next to a damaged soul.

Will ended the silence by leaning on his arm, and kissing Chilton. Chilton's shock came off in the form of returning the action. This was nothing like the kiss that Will had shared with Hannibal Lecter. Will had moved over top of Chilton and was resting his forehead against Chilton's.

"I just need relief." Will whispered, tears finding their way down his face.

"So do I…" Chilton said, his fingers clinging to Will's t-shirt.

They resumed their engagement.

Now this…this didn't feel like a waste of a life.


	6. Chapter 6

Chapter Six: _Cloud 9, a Souvenir, and Applesauce_

Chilton breathed heavily as Will's body hit the space of the bed next to him. Will too breathed heavily. Chilton's body's was no longer designed for this kind of roughness, but the ache was bittersweet. Will thought he wanted to be in Chilton's arms and be taken care of, but when he first kissed Chilton, he knew he wanted to be in control. If he couldn't gain control with Hannibal then he would gain it with Frederick.

Chilton was lying face down and nuzzled into Will's shoulder. Will moved his arm under Chilton, in order to wrap it around Chilton's body. The two closed their eyes and slept comfortably.

Will and Chilton both woke up around the same time. It was dawn and the window next to the bed was slightly open, letting in a very satisfying and soothing breeze. Will looked at Chilton and instead of retreating from the night before, he gave Chilton a gentle smile. Chilton stretched his body and laughed.

"Jesus Will, what did you do to me?" Chilton asked, hinting at the pain.

Will could feel his face turning hot. "…Sorry." He mumbled. "I may have gotten carried away."

It was Chilton who was turning red now. He had never had anyone react this way towards him before. Will looked at Chilton and wanted to take him again, but he kept his instincts at bay. He wondered if this is how Hannibal felt towards him. The animalistic qualities in Hannibal however, were much more evident. He didn't know whether or not Hannibal wanted to kiss him or bite him…or eat him. Will didn't know if Hannibal was rubbing off of him because he was never this rough with anyone before. Will decided to leave the thoughts and he got up and got dressed for the day ahead.

At that very moment, Alana Bloom was putting on a clean shirt she brought with her. She was sitting next to Hannibal on his bed, and as he laid there, he put his hand on her back.

"Are you seeing Will today?" He asked.

"Yes." Alana replied. "Why do I feel like I always have to mentally prepare myself?"

"Because you do. Will is a unique human being, he takes a lot to understand. Besides, you two have a history. I understand your anticipation." Hannibal said, coyly.

Alana looked at Hannibal, "How is his therapy going?" She asked.

Hannibal had to hide a smile, "Good," he said. "Will is learning to trust me again."

"Well…that's a relief…" Alana replied.

"Maybe this means you're relationship will be rekindled." Hannibal suggested.

Alana looked towards the window.

"I don't know…I feel like I completely abandoned him when he needed me the most…and it wasn't the first time I did something like that to him. He's just so complex to me, I feel like I never know what I'm getting." She explained.

"I think Will is much simpler than you think, Alana." Hannibal said. "I think you need to open your mind a little more." He smiled at her.

"You may be right." She said.

Later that day, Will arrived at a new crime scene. He met up with Jack and they went over the evidence. Someone had killed a young woman eerily similar to the first few murders that Will had seen the Chesapeake Ripper commit. Will instantly knew this was Hannibal.

"Chilton?" Will asked.

Jack began walking over to Jimmy Price, as Will followed, Jack said, "Most likely. We found this." Jimmy handed Jack a bag containing a piece of evidence.

"It's a piece of Chilton's cane shaped into a heart. What do you think it means?" Jack asked.

Will took the bag from Jack and stared at it in fear. He had to choke back his emotions.

"It's a clue," Will said. "You might not be dealing with Dr. Chilton."

"What do you mean? Why would someone leave this if they weren't Chilton?" Jack asked.

"This is a sign of humor…or jest or something along that nature. This person knows we think Chilton is the killer…they may know more. They're trying to symbolize how we are trying to catch him. Like some kind of affair." Will said, but this was a lie.

Hannibal Lecter left this heart because he knows Will and Chilton are the ones having an affair. Hannibal knows Will is housing Chilton, or that he has some kind of contact with him. He knows.

Will handed the bag back to Jack. "I need to go." He said without an explanation. He got into his car and drove back home as fast as the law would take him.

If Hannibal knows then he will do more than send a wooden heart. He'll turn Chilton into a masterpiece that Will had no desire to view. Will's head began rushing with action when he saw a car parked in front of his house. Will slammed his foot on the break and got out of the car. He began running towards the house and he swung the door wide open.

Sitting in a chair amongst the dogs was Alana Bloom. She was with her dog Applesauce, and Will stared at her in bewilderment. He closed his eyes when he remembered she was supposed to come over.

"I'm sorry, Jack called me, there's been another murder." He said. "When did you get here…how did you get in here?" He asked.

"I got here twenty minutes ago…and I have a key, remember?" She said. He looked at her, solemnly remembering. "Which I will give back." She said quietly. "Will, I came here to apologize. I thought it'd be best to do that in person…I turned my back on you…unfairly."

Will looked down, he couldn't bear meeting her eyes.

"Alana…I accept your apology. But if you really want me to forgive you then you need to further yourself from Dr. Lecter." Will said seriously.

"Will, I thought you were over this." She replied, confused.

Will turned and faced the window, his thumb rested in one of his belt loops on his pants.

"I have to play nice…" Will muttered. "My opinion on Hannibal is tainted so severely. I know what and who he is. And I know he is using you. He is preying on your relationship with me, and he knows more then we think we do."

"Will…we can never get back what we used to have. If you think that my relationship with Hannibal has anything to do-"

"Stop!" Will shouted unexpectedly. He faced Alana. "You hurt me, Alana, but for the first time in a long time I can finally say that I am free form those feelings. There are people I want to keep safe, and while I might not feel romantic love for you I still care about you. I don't want you hurt, killed, or worse…served on a plate next to arugula."

Alana's eyes locked onto Will's. They were glossy and full of emotion. She stood up.

"Who is in your life that you want to keep safe Will?" She asked.

"I guess everyone but Hannibal…obviously I'm not doing a good job because Beverly and Abigail are dead." He replied, catching Alana's suspect.

There was a sudden crash in the living room closet. Alana's eyes widened and her face turned to shock.

"What the hell was that?"


	7. Chapter 7

Chapter Seven: _Fly Fishing for Control_

"_What the hell was that?" Alana asked in the most serious way._

Will instinctually jumped in front of the closet door. In that moment, he had wished he would have played it off as things stacked improperly.

"Move out of the way, Will." Alana demanded.

"Alana, please." Will begged. "Leave."

"I can't." She said. "You know I can't. Not now."

Will wanted Alana gone and in her place he wanted Chilton. He wanted Chilton's arms around him to protect him from all of this misery. But he also wanted to protect Chilton. When he thought of Frederick, his mind became clouded with animalistic ideals. Chilton was his since the day he found him on the porch. He wasn't going to let anyone take him away.

There was another crash in the closet and this time there was a quiet sound of pain. Upon hearing this, Will swung open the door, and saw Chilton on the floor of the closet, crushed with boxes and fishing equipment. Chilton looked up at Will apologetically, and looked apprehensively towards Alana. Alana took a step back and put her hand on her forehead.

"Will I cannot believe what you are doing." She said. "Do _you_?"

Will helped Chilton stand up and he turned around.

"I believe I am helping an innocent person wrongly accused." He said.

"S-so what, you've been hiding Chilton in your house this entire time? Did you plan on shoving him in closets forever?" Alana asked, growing more and more angry.

"Until I can catch Hannibal." Will said, his voice beginning to grow louder and more bitter.

Alana rolled her eyes, "Get off it Will! Hannibal is not a serial killer!"

"Hannibal Lecter placed Abel Gideon dead in my home before poisoning me and killing two FBI agents." Chilton said, speaking up. "He is a killer, Miss Bloom."

Alana looked at Chilton and back to Will.

"I want to believe you…" She said desperately. "But I can't." She returned to her anger.

"Why not?" Will asked, frustrated and broken.

"Because Hannibal…"

"Is manipulating you," Will interrupted. "He manipulated us all…makes you feel like he understands you. He pats you on the back as he slides the knife into your stomach."

Alana didn't know what to do or how to respond to this situation. Will looked like a rabid animal, ready to bite her if she turned against him. Why did he want to protect Chilton so badly? It didn't make any sense to her. Just like Chilton being the Chesapeake Ripper. While she didn't think it could be Hannibal either, she really couldn't believe it being Chilton. As she looked at Will, she flashbacked to their past relationship. She wanted to be on the same level as him again. She didn't want the tension, the separation. She could only think of one way to win back his trust.

"Hannibal cannot know." She said. "Jack cannot know. Nobody else can know."

Will finally stopped holding his breath.

"You believe me?" He asked.

"I believe that…Chilton isn't the Ripper. But I also believe that…" She hesitated. If Chilton is telling the truth, then that means Hannibal is guilty. She sighed. "I believe Chilton is innocent…I don't know what else I believe. I won't tell anyone Will, but I also will not be a part of this."

Will nodded.

"Will, can I talk to you outside?" She asked.

Alana and Will walked out to the front porch. Alana faced the land in front of them.

"This is insane, Will." Alana said. "You are being…stupidly dangerous."

"I could say the same about you, you know." Will replied. "Depends what you believe."

Alana sighed, "Yes but the FBI believes Chilton is the killer. They will incarcerate you for hiding him if they find out."

"Then they won't find out. As long as you don't tell them…" He said. "At the latest crime scene there was a heart, a wooden heart made out of Chilton's cane. I think Hannibal knows…Alana." Will breathed slowly. "…I have something else to tell you."

Alana's breath shortened. She was already surprised way too much today and didn't know what more she could handle. She braced herself for impact.

"Hannibal and I's relationship has…progressed." Will said.

"What do you mean progressed?" Alana asked, her voice calm and wavering with anticipation.

"In the way that I'm sure your relationship with Hannibal has progressed." Will said, then thought for a moment. "Well…mostly. We haven't yet consummated the relationship." He said bitterly.

Alana closed her eyes, taking in the information. If what Will was telling her was true then it explained a lot. Hannibal always brought up Will when they were together and he seemed more than happy that Will was his patient again. If Will had tried to kill Alana, then she would have never reconnected with him. She had been forever confused as to why Hannibal had allowed Will to keep contact. Her mind began spinning.

"Why are you doing it, Will?"

"Trust." He said. "I need to gain it in order to keep him off my track. I know it's sick."

"Why are you helping Chilton?" Alana asked, too many different subjects filling her mind. "Why not keep him in prison and have one less thing to worry about while you catch Hannibal?"

"Because I don't want this case to close. I need the FBI to keep looking at evidence…and Chilton isn't…he's…not who I thought he was. I guess I have a weird desire to protect him. After being wrongly accused for the Ripper's murders…I know what it feels like." Will explained.

Alana thought for a moment and finally nodded her head. "Okay, Will. I'm not going to say anything but I'm going to keep my distance for a while. From all of this. You, Hannibal…the FBI…I won't be a part of your plan."

"I understand…thank you." Will said in relief.

Alana opened the door and called for Applesauce. She glanced awkwardly at Chilton and closed the screen door. She grabbed onto Applesauce's leash and looked up at Will.

"Goodbye Will…" She said softly.

"Goodbye Alana." Will replied. "Bye Applesauce." He said, forming a small smile.

Alana too smiled, she took one last look at Will, walked to her car, and drove away. Will entered his house and closed the doors. He leaned against the back of the door and looked at Chilton.

"Hannibal Lecter is going to confess to me…one way or another."


	8. Chapter 8

_Author's Note: I want to thank everyone who is following this story and who left really nice reviews! I really appreciate it. I apologize for this short chapter but I am setting up for more and more things. _

Chapter Eight: _Show me_

_Will Graham increased his sessions to twice a week. This would give him more time to be with Hannibal. To hopefully catch him. _

"How was seeing Alana?" Hannibal asked.

"It was…nice. We patched up a few things." Will said, looking at some of the things scattered on Hannibal's desk. "How is seeing Alana?" Will asked, turning around and leaning on the desk.

Hannibal let out a small laugh.

"I'm serious." Will said. "Don't make me feel like a pure bred you only bring out for big competitions."

"Will…you mean more to me than Alana does. I want you to know that." Hannibal defended.

"Do I know that Hannibal?" Will asked, raising his eyebrows. "What do I know?"

Hannibal tilted his head. "I think you know a lot. No…I know you know a lot. You're memories are not wrong."

"…I admire you."

"Why do you admire me so much?" Hannibal asked.

"Why don't you come over here and show me?" Will whispered. "So we both can stop being so vague."

Hannibal's smile was curious as he stepped towards Will until hardly any space was unfilled between them.

"Well?" Will said.

_When Will opened his eyes, he saw his hands were still gripped to Hannibal's desk._

There were things that once held weight on the desk that were now strewn on the floor. Will's breath had been short and rapid. He couldn't say any of the actions Hannibal had made were surprising. Hannibal was buttoning his shirt a few feet away. Will was still over the desk. He had felt like he had blacked out and was regaining memory. He put his clothes back on and put his hand on the back of his neck. He felt indentations from Hannibal's teeth and could feel the bruises forming all over his body.

"_Don't you want credit?" Will breathed._

"_If I get credit, then I won't be able to do it anymore." Hannibal said, pushing Will harder into the desk._

"_I want you to make something for me…for us. Will you?" _

"_Of course."_

Will returned home that night and didn't even bother with calling Chilton into his room. He collapsed on his bed instantly, barely able to kick off his shoes.

He awaited whatever Jack Crawford was going to call him in to see next.


	9. Chapter 9

Chapter Nine: _It's his Confession_

The phone rang, filling up the silence throughout the house. Will answered it.

"Will," Jack said. "We need your help."

"What is it?" Will asked.

"It's a murder…I mean, it's not a murder you're used to seeing. But it has the same artistry as the Chesapeake Ripper. Also…it involves you." Jack explained.

"Send me the address and I'll be right over." Will said.

He got up and took a shower. After getting dressed and peeked into Chilton's room. It was an unwritten rule that Chilton would only sleep with him if Will asked. And so Chilton was sound asleep on the couch. Will walked over to him and kissed him on the forehead. He left the room quietly. He fed the dogs and drove to the crime scene. Once there, he met up with Jack Crawford.

The sight sent chills through Will's body.

In the middle of a field was a large tree with many winding branches suitable for hangings, and this is exactly what Will was seeing. On one of the larger branches there was a stag, hung by its neck and body. It's eyes were removed and it was clear that someone had taxidermied part of it, because its legs are bent to make it appear to be running. The same was done to the animal that faced it. Will stared at the dog hung in the tree. He felt sick. However, the thing in the middle of the two animals was what really made him feel icy.

"It belongs to Alana." Jack said.

Will nodded as he stared at the red coat that hung between the stag and the dog. It was hung with the arms of the coat outspread, like some kind of crucifixion.

"Check the dog's collar Will."

Will looked at Jack hesitantly. He stepped closer to the dog and placed his fingers on the tag of the collar. It read, "Will Graham." Will stood there and stared at the display.

"What do you make of it?" Jack asked.

"It's a statement piece. The killer thinks I'm one with them. The stag represents the Ripper, for obvious reasons. He used antlers before. The dog is me. The Ripper thinks I'm in some way loyal to him, maybe because I'm still trying to understand him. I don't know. Alana…" Will sighed. How was he supposed to explain what the coat meant without telling Jack he didn't believe Hannibal's innocence? "Alana's coat is either a foreshadowing of events or an offering. Like I said before, we might not be dealing with Dr. Chilton. I know it makes sense, but whoever we are dealing with knows me and Alana. I know Chilton does, but this is a much more personal piece." Will explained.

"I hope you're not going where I think you're going with this." Jack said.

"Jack…" Will breathed in and out. "I need you to look at this scene. If it's Hannibal Lecter…then Alana is in danger. We need to figure out how this killer got her coat. We need to start being proactive."

Their conversation was interrupted when a car pulled up. Alana Bloom opened the car door and closed it; she walked quickly towards Jack and Will. She stopped abruptly when she saw the tree's contents. She shot Will a look of subtle terror. Since she knew this wasn't Chilton, her fear of who it might be grew.

"What is this?" Alana asked, trying to conceal her fright.

"That's what we are trying to figure out." Jack replied.

Will left Alana's gaze and he stepped once more towards the tree.

"It's his confession."

Alana nodded although Will could not see her. Jack turned towards her.

"Why do you think the Ripper has your coat?" He asked.

Alana was still staring at the coat, the dog, and the stag. She shook her head, but then spoke. "Jack…you're not going to like what I have to say." She said, knowing full well she wouldn't like it either.

"I'm listening." He said.

"I didn't believe it at first and I still don't want to but…I think the Ripper is Hannibal."

"Alana…" Jack began.

"Wait, Jack, just listen. Hannibal has a key to my apartment…"

"That doesn't mean he's the one who took it." Jack argued.

"I know that but it's very likely. This whole entire thing makes sense if you look at the possibilities." Alana said.

"Okay look, here's what I'll do. I'll bring in Hannibal for questioning…but solely because of the personal connection of this case. Not for anything that happened previously." Jack said.

"Okay." Alana replied and Will nodded.

Jack went to go talk to some others on the scene, and Will and Alana faced each other.

"Alana…" Will whispered. "I asked Hannibal to make something for him and I, last night."

"What?" Alana asked sharply. "Why would you do that? Someone could have been murdered…a person I mean. So does he know that you still think he's the Ripper?"

"I know someone could have gotten killed, I'll admit I wasn't fully thinking. And yes, he knows. Or atleast…it was heavily implied…" Will said, looking uncomfortable. He couldn't meet Alana's gaze.

"What happened Will?" Alana asked. "And why am I involved?"

Will let his eyes close and he sighed deeply. "In my ploy to manipulate Hannibal, I may have hinted at jealousy over you. This is a piece about me and Hannibal. And how you are coming in between us."

"Will!" She shouted, but quickly pulled Will further away from the others. "I told you I would have no involvement. Would if Hannibal kills me? Or wants to see me?"

"Don't worry. When Jack brings him in for questioning, maybe we will catch him then."

"And if we don't?" Alana asked. "What happens then? Do I get a closet in your house too? Will…this is dangerous and wrong…and hurtful for you. You may be manipulating Hannibal but he's still taking something from you."

"I know, I know, I know. We're just going to have to wait this out, take precaution, and be alert. I'm sure you can ask for some agents to guard you. This…work of the Ripper is enough to get you that."

"Alright…" Alana said, she then said goodbye and left.

Will said his own goodbyes and told Jack to keep in touch. He got into his car and started driving back home.

He was tired and lost. He felt sick for his night with Hannibal and he knew what would make him feel better. Will felt a little bad for ignoring his roommate for the past few days but ignoring him was the last thing Will wanted to do now. As he drove home, he couldn't help but smile.


	10. Chapter 10

Chapter Ten: _Music in the Middle of Nowhere_

By the time Will got home it was the afternoon and he arrived to a silent house. He called out "I'm home!" to let Chilton know it wasn't an unwanted visitor. Chilton walked down the stairs carefully and asked Will about his morning.

Will explained everything even though he wanted to hide away certain details. He didn't need Chilton worrying over him but nevertheless Will told him of his night with Hannibal.

"So they're bringing him in for questioning?" Chilton asked.

"Yeah…I'm hoping they catch him then and there. But it's not going to be that simple. Sure Hannibal has the key to Alana's apartment but since when does the absence of a key stop someone?" Will explained. "I'm really just banking on the idea of how personal the piece was. Either way, I'm glad Alana finally believes me. Even if it's only out of fear."

"And then what?"

"I guess you come out of hiding…no one has to know it was here." Will said. "Are you hungry?"

_Meanwhile, Hannibal Lecter was following Jack Crawford into an interrogation room. _

"What is this about?" He asked calmly.

Jack sat down across from Hannibal. "I have some images to show you, I need to know where you were and if you have a connection to this." He said, placing images of the "artwork" in front of Hannibal. "This is Alana's coat," he said pointing at one of the photos, "She says you have a key to her apartment."

"Does Alana think I did this?" He asked.

"No." Jack lied. "But based on how personal this seems to be, I asked her some questions about you, Will Graham, and Dr. Chilton."

Hannibal exhaled. "I do have a key to her apartment. I understand you thinking I have something to do with this…"

"Can someone verify your whereabouts during the night?" Jack asked.

"No." Hannibal answered. "But if we're going to play that game…then couldn't it be anybody?"

Jack sat back in his chair. "I have to take precaution, Hannibal. Without Chilton in custody I can't be positive as to who this is. You unfortunately fit the profile and I don't want to see you wrongly accused of anything…but I have to look at this from a professional standpoint. If there was a way to find Dr. Chilton then I'd do it and arrest him instead of wasting your time but I can't."

"I fully understand Jack. I'll answer whatever I can."

_Alana entered her apartment while two agents stood outside her door. She was grateful that she was allowed two agents. She now feared for her life. _

Alana walked around her apartment. She wondered when the Ripper did it…when he came into her apartment. It had to be when she was out but she couldn't remember when she was. The thought of the Ripper in her home while she slept scared her more than anything. She walked over to her coat closet and stared at the contents. This killer was smart and probably wouldn't leave any trace of evidence behind, but she looked anyway.

_Hours began to pass and the afternoon turned into the night. Jack called Will and Alana to report nothing monumental from Hannibal, but Will was still happy that Jack's suspicion wasn't dwindling. _

Will put the phone down. He, Chilton, and the dogs were in the living room enjoying a fire and Will informed Chilton of the call.

"If I can get Hannibal to be a little more reckless, then we'll catch him."

"I'm worried Will, I'm worried Hannibal is too smart even when he seems reckless." Chilton said. "Or maybe I'm just getting claustrophobic."

"I share your concerns, but I'm slowly reeling the others into believing me…" Will said.

The conversation became silent. Chilton looked around the room.

"I never noticed your turntable." He said, nodding towards the corner of the room.

Will turned around, "Oh yeah, it's covered in useless crap so I always forget about it." He said, getting up and walking over to it. He cleared it off. "I only have really old slow records." Will said, laughing.

Chilton got up and walked over to Will. "Put one in." He said.

Will picked a random record and put it on the turntable. It began playing slowly and softly. Chilton took Will's hand and led him into the middle of the room.

"What are you doing?" Will asked.

"Don't you like to dance?"

Chilton put his hand on Will's shoulder and held the other while Will nervously put his hand on Chilton's wait. He didn't know why he was nervous, it wasn't like Will was a total stranger when it came to touching Chilton. The two started dancing gently and after a few minutes, Will buried his head on Chilton's shoulder. They danced until the record ended.

Will and Chilton laid on the floor next to the fireplace. The warmth was incredibly comforting and made Will forget about everything else going on.

"This is the only good thing to come out of all this." Will said.

"I know." Chilton said. "Will…I have an idea."

Will repositioned himself and leaned on his arm in order to see Chilton's face. "What is it?"

"Well, no one is getting anywhere with how this investigation is going. But we know one thing…Hannibal wants you. And he will admit things to you. All you have to do is record him."

"Could it be that simple?" Will asked.

"Why not?"


	11. Chapter 11

Chapter Eleven: _The Danger of Love and Hate_

Will and Chilton were upstairs when Chilton pulled out his bag from the closet.

"I think I left some of my equipment in here." He said, finding a small recording device. "Perfect!"

"There has to be a catch to this." Will said.

"I guess we'll find out." Chilton said. "Or you will…"

"Don't worry." Will assured, he wished he could heed his own advice. "I'm going to call Hannibal and arrange a meeting…I'll have to thank him for the gift."

_Hannibal answered the phone and welcomed Will to come over as soon as he wanted. He was riddled with anticipation as to what Will thought of his craft. He also anticipated what he could do to Will this time around. _

In the few hours leading up to Will's meeting with Hannibal, he mentally prepared himself. He knew he had to be discreet and that he couldn't allow Hannibal to get too…personal. He had to conceal the recorder and make sure he got out of there without Hannibal catching wind of the device.

Will was drinking coffee and reading Freddie Lound's latest article when he noticed Chilton was walking around aimlessly.

He looked up from his laptop. "What is it?"

Chilton stopped pacing and looked at Will. "I'm nervous! If Hannibal catches you then he's going to kill you! Then what am I supposed to do?"

"What the hell does that mean?" Will asked, getting angry and setting the laptop aside. He stood up to face Chilton.

"What do you mean?" Chilton asked. "You better not be implying that you think I'm using you!"

"That's what it sounds like to me." Will stated.

"Well it's not what I meant by it and you know it…" Chilton said desperately.

Will stared at him dead on and neither said a word. Will's gaze began to falter and he got lost in his own thoughts.

"I think I'm in love with you." Will blurted out, not quite sure what possessed him to do so.

Chilton was deathly silent for a few seconds that felt too long. "What?"

A clock in the house began chiming.

"I should get going." Will said grabbing the recorder and his keys. "I'll see you later." He said quickly.

"Will, wait!" Chilton said.

Will stopped halfway out the door.

"Be careful…"

He nodded and prepared himself to trap Hannibal. The drive to his office felt much shorter than usual. He decided to forget his conversation with Chilton. He'd be lying if he said he didn't think Chilton would return the words; so he put it in the back of his mind. When he knocked on the door, Hannibal appeared like some kind of prolific figure. The recorder, hidden and away from sight, was on.

"Did you like it Will?" Hannibal purred.

"I can't say I liked seeing a dog killed but I will admit it got my blood moving. I loved what you did with Alana's coat." Will replied. "It was quite symbolic…and very beautiful. It was interesting to see what you can do when you're not killing people. But in short…I loved it."

"I'm glad. But the FBI is now on my scent."

"Oh they won't catch you. There isn't enough evidence." Will responded casually.

"You believe in me that much?" Hannibal smiled.

"Of course I do." Will assured. "You're the brilliant Chesapeake Ripper…are you not?" Will said, stepping closer to Hannibal.

"That's true." Hannibal said, kissing Will.

Will pulled back when his cell phone started ringing. He saw that it was Jack and answered it.

"Hello?"

"Will, you wouldn't happen to be in the area would you? I need to see you right away." Jack said.

"I am, actually. I'll meet you right away…" Will said, relieved beyond belief. He hung up and faced Hannibal. "We have to cut our meeting extremely short. Jack needs to see me."

"What for? You just got here." Hannibal said, disappointed.

"I'm not sure. I'll call you later." Will said, lying like it was his nature.

Will hightailed it out of Hannibal's office and drove to meet Jack at his office. He made his way through the federal building and entered the office.

"Jack I have-"

"Will!" Jack shouted when he saw him enter the room. "I'm sorry to drag you here out of the-"

"It's fine I have-"

"It's Alana." Jack interrupted.

Will became silent. "What happened?"

"Alana found an envelope in her closet, on the floor where the coat was. It's being analyzed for anything important but it read 'whatever blooms must eventually die' and it was full of dead petals."

"A threat..." Will whispered.

"More like a promise." Jack said. "Alana's here and she's safe, but we need to…wait, did you say you have something?"

Will breathed in heavily. "Yes." He said, taking out his recorder. He didn't say anything, he only played it.

"What did I just listen to?" Jack asked.

"The true confession." Will said. "The payoff of my progress…"

"I don't believe this...but I have to now." Jack thought for a few seconds. "Alright, here's what we're going to do. We're going to catch him tomorrow. That way we have daylight just in case we need it, and we can really prepare. I'm going to go inform everyone of this recording…Will, I'm sorry I doubted you."

"That won't matter soon enough." Will replied.

_Will was home late. He didn't want to wake Chilton, so he slept on the floor next to the couch. Morning came bright and early._

"You could have woken me." Chilton said.

"I didn't want to."

"Did you catch him…?"

"Yes, but…the FBI is going to do the real capture today." Will said, getting up from the floor.

"I can't believe it's almost over…and it was done so easily." Chilton said.

"I know…" Will couldn't help but feel paranoid. This was definitely too easy. But what could happen now?

_While Will and Chilton tried to enjoy their morning, Hannibal was disturbed by a knock on the door. _

Hannibal was greeted by Jack and unwanted federal agents.

"Hannibal Lecter, you are under arrest as the Chesapeake Ripper." He said, and played the part of the recording where he confessed.

Hannibal acted fast and slammed the door, locking it to buy whatever extra time he could. He grabbed his keys and sprinted outside. By some grace of God he was able to get to his car and speed away before the FBI could catch him.

Hannibal's heart was pounding. He was absolutely livid.

Will betrayed him. Will lied to him. Will manipulated him…Will caught him. But unbeknownst to Will Graham…Hannibal had picked up on a very revealing detail.

That recorder in Jack Crawford's hand belonged to none other than Frederick Chilton…and Hannibal knew exactly where to find him.


	12. Chapter 12

_Author's note: Hi guys, there's only gonna be a few more chapters left. I just wanted to let you know that because I don't want there to be confusion that this is the last chapter! Anyway…happy reading!_

Chapter Twelve: _Fire Pick a Fight_

Hannibal Lecter drove like a mad man, making it to Will's home under the usual fifty minute time frame. Meanwhile in Baltimore, the FBI was searching frantically. They were so caught up in the moment of checking the surrounding area, that Jack realized he should have called Will.

The phone began to ring in Will Graham's home. Will and Chilton were once again in the living room enjoying a fire. Will picked up the phone, bracing himself for good news.

"Will! We lost Hannibal, I'm worried he may have gone to your-"

There was a large crash into the front door.

"I have to go Jack." Will said quickly. "Hurry." He hung up the phone and threw it on the floor.

Hannibal broke through the door. He was no longer neat, composed, or professional.

"Hello Will." He snarled. "Don't act so shocked. You know I figured this was going on! And then I saw the recorder…did you think I wouldn't catch on to that?"

"Hannibal…" Will started to say. "Just-"

"Back off?" Hannibal finished. "No Will, you see…I don't like being made the fool." He looked over at Chilton, who looked frozen in place. "…Especially not from Frederick Chilton!"

Hannibal flew past Will and pushed Chilton up against the wall. He began choking him and he screamed inaudible words. Will grabbed onto Hannibal's shoulders and pried him off of Chilton. He punched Hannibal in the face, hard enough to knock him back a few feet.

"You betrayed me!" Hannibal barked.

"You're a murderer Hannibal!" Will replied.

Hannibal started laughing. "You shouldn't have tried to help Chilton." He hissed.

"The police are going to be here soon." Will said. "You're finished."

"You're mistaken." Hannibal growled.

Hannibal pulled out a large kitchen knife from the back of his belt that he had grabbed on the way out of his home. He lunged towards Chilton with the knife in his hand.

Hannibal began to laugh softly. The knife was still in his hands. Will shouted.

Chilton's closed eyes soon opened at the lack of movement around him. He saw Hannibal inches from him drop the knife to the floor. When Chilton looked down, he saw the fireplace's poker shoved through Hannibal's body. Will moved away from Hannibal.

Hannibal took a few steps back, he looked down at the poker that was through him. Blood seeped into his clothes, and he landed on his knees. At that very moment FBI agents ran into the house. They had already called an ambulance and upon seeing Hannibal, they called for the EMTS. Hannibal was taken away carefully and Will was unsure if he was dead or alive.

While Will was trying to process what had just happened he and Chilton were told to sit down. Someone called Jack Crawford and told him what happened. The next thing Will knew, he and Chilton were being driven to the federal building. No one was really talking to them and Will found this both annoying and unusual. He looked over at Chilton, who had been handcuffed at the scene but Chilton didn't say a word. They were escorted into the building and met a very frantic Jack.

"Will are you alright?" Jack asked.

"I'm fine…" Will replied, not really in the moment.

Jack looked between Will and Chilton. "I need to know what's going on." He gestured towards an agent to take off Chilton's handcuffs. He took Will and Chilton into his office.

"After the murder of Abel Gideon and those FBI agents…Chilton came to my house and I made the decision to let him hide there. I knew Hannibal was guilty and I knew it was lawfully wrong but I…I guess I really didn't want Hannibal to win. So I worked out a plan to catch him and that's when Hannibal made the dog and the stag display…but it didn't seem like enough. So Chilton suggested we record him and it seemed easy enough. And it was…until he figured it out somehow." Will explained, the words pouring out of him easier than he thought they would.

"Will…because of the circumstances…and the nature of this case, I'm going to make sure you're not charged with anything. Either of you two. The end to a nightmare happened today…one we all went through." Jack said.

"Thank you Jack." Chilton said.

Will looked at Chilton and sighed, he looked back at Jack. "Really, thank you Jack."

Jack nodded. "By the way…Hannibal survived. He's in critical condition but he's expected to recover. We are making the necessary preparations."

There was a knock on the door frame. Will looked over to see Alana.

"I heard what happened." She said. "I can't believe it's over."

Will looked at her and then back to Chilton. "Me neither."


	13. Chapter 13

Chapter Thirteen: _His Voice is Soft_

_In the following week after the attack, Chilton returned to his home to collect some of his things before he moved to an apartment. Will offered Chilton a spot in his own home, but Chilton insisted that we have his own place. Chilton didn't want to live any longer in his original home. It had been tainted. _

_He didn't return to work and focused on putting the pieces of his life back together. Freddie Lounds had a field day, Alana could rest easy, and Will felt a dull ache in his heart._

Will talked to Chilton once a day during that week but he could tell Chilton wasn't into the conversations. He chalked it up to Chilton being busy and went about his routine; whatever that was anymore. He decided to go back to teaching and to work with Jack as long as it wasn't to the intensity that the Ripper case involved.

Will got a call one morning. Hannibal Lecter had gained conscientiousness and asked to see Will. He didn't know what to do. Should he see Hannibal or should he vow to never speak to him again? Will's curiosity eventually won over.

"You got me." Hannibal said.

"No I didn't." Will replied. "And trust me, I'm disappointed in that fact."

Hannibal tried to laugh, but his voice was too soft and weak. "I'm disappointed too…I really wanted to kill Frederick. Tell me Will, do you love him?"

"I don't love you, isn't that what you really want to know?" Will said.

"I guess I can't really blame you." Hannibal thought aloud. "But I thought that maybe your empathy had finally allowed you to."

"How did you survive?" Will questioned.

"A miracle." Hannibal said, exhaling tiredly.

"Sure." Will scoffed. "Were you going to kill Alana?" He asked.

"Yes." Hannibal said. "I had beautiful plans for her."

"Did you have any plans for me?"

"Plenty." Hannibal replied. "I love you Will."

"Even after I tried to kill you?"

"More-so." Hannibal said.

"I hate you…so you might want to reconsider."

"I'm aware, Will."

Will sighed.

Later that day he was going to drive home when he decided to stop by at Chilton's new apartment. He knocked on the door.

"Will." Chilton said, opening the door.

"Hey, I was wondering if you wanted to do something." Will suggested.

"Will…look I…I don't think this can be a thing. You and I." Chilton's voice was soft. Not in the way Hannibal's was, but it still held that pitch.

"What do you mean?" Will asked.

"It's just…I have a lot of stuff to do…a lot of pieces to put back together."

"And I'm suddenly not one of those pieces?" Will questioned somberly. "Or was I never one of them?"

"Will…"

"You can't just ignore what we went through." Will said, his throat beginning to burn.

"I know that…but I'm trying to move forward." Chilton replied.

"I guess I'm just trying to understand what happened in the past week that caused you to feel this way…" Will said avoiding Chilton's gaze. "Is it because I said I loved you…which was unwarranted I'll admit…or was it Hannibal…?" Will trailed off.

"It's a lot of things. And one of those things…is making sure my feelings are real and not just impacted by the situation."

"Well…it was all real for me." Will replied.

"I'm not saying it wasn't-"

"That's exactly what you're saying, Chilton!" Will snapped.

"Fine, maybe it is!" Chilton said angrily.

"Then I guess I have nothing more to say to you." Will said.

"I guess you don't…"

Will left the apartment building and got in his car. He sat there blankly for a while and felt stupid. He shouldn't have let Chilton get so close and he knew it was his own fault. He was the one who directed most of their "moments." But when Chilton offered the dance, Will had felt his feelings transform.

He finally turned his car on and drove away.


	14. Chapter 14

Chapter Fourteen: _The End_

Will drove around aimlessly. He didn't want to go home…it only held emptiness despite his canine roommates. After hours of mindless driving he finally returned home.

He noticed Alana's car parked in his driveway and headed up towards his porch. Alana sat there with Applesauce, who was more focused on wanting to get to the dogs inside.

"How are you Will?" She asked, standing up.

"I'm…I guess I'm better than I was…" He said. "What are you doing here?"

"I just wanted to formally apologize."

"You've been apologizing." Will replied.

"But not enough…" She said. "I feel…"

"Alana…I know how you feel…but no one can blame you for your relationship with Hannibal. He was a master of manipulation. I'm lucky I could see through it…but you shouldn't worry about it."

"…Thank you." Alana said. "So I guess you're enjoying having your house back to yourself?"

Will managed a smile. "Sure."

"You don't sound convincing." Alana replied.

"I guess it was nice not to be alone…" Will said quietly.

"You're not going to be alone Will…none of us are…not anymore." She said. "The worst part is over."

"I know."

Later that day Will was sitting in his living room doing nothing. He felt bored and empty. He wondered what he did with his time before Chilton; surely it was filled with something. Days began to pass with no phone calls, no conversations, no fire, and just silence. He hated the empty space in his bed and he hated the leftover vegan food in his pantry.

Will felt angry. He had done Chilton a lifesaving favor and while he didn't think Chilton owed him a relationship he sure as hell didn't feel like he deserved the cold shoulder. He grabbed his keys and headed over to Chilton's apartment.

Will knocked on the door too many times and it finally opened. Chilton stood there looking confused by the aggressive nature of the knocks.

"I need to talk to you." Will said.

"Um, okay, come in." Chilton replied, taking a step back and letting Will into the apartment.

"I need to understand something." Will said looking around the apartment. "I need to understand if you truly want to throw this away."

Chilton breathed slowly. "I don't know if it's a good idea."

"Why not?"

"Because of our occupations, or our reputations. You and I's relationship would compromise a lot." Chilton stressed. "I don't know if I'm willing to put my professional career in jeopardy."

"I find that a sad excuse." Will said.

Chilton sighed. "So do I."

Will looked at Chilton, surprised by the response. "Chilton…"

Chilton buried his head in his hands. "I feel like I'm being pulled into so many directions."

"What do _you_ want Chilton?" Will asked.

"I want to continue what we started…but I'm worried at what's going to follow." Chilton said. "I'm anticipating what people will say and…it worked because we forced ourselves to live together. What's going to happen now that we are back in the real world? Would if it isn't the same or it doesn't work out?"

"Then I guess we move on, but why not give something a chance?" Will pleaded.

_In a high security prison, Hannibal Lecter sat on the cot in his cell. He smiled to himself at the thought of Will Graham. He had managed to manipulate Hannibal perfectly, and Hannibal could hardly be mad at him anymore. Will had given himself up to Hannibal, and that was the source of Hannibal's smiles in this cell. _

Chilton walked over to Will. "I'm sorry…I shouldn't have been so cold to you, not after what happened…"

_Hannibal studied every single detail of his cell. Every guard. Every doorway, every shift change._

Will pulled Chilton close to him and Chilton put his face into Will's shoulder. "It's okay…"

_He was planning and storing information…he was preparing himself._

"Will…" Chilton whispered.

"Yes?"

"I think I love you too…" He replied.

Will smiled gently and held Chilton tighter. "So…what color collar do you want?"

The two laughed.

_Hannibal stood up and looked outside his cell….Yes…he thought…He would see Will Graham soon enough. And that thought alone made this all the more bearable._

Author's Note: I hope you guys liked it! I felt like it was time for it to end and that I didn't really have much more to write for this story, so I hoped it seemed like it all fit together. I loved writing it and I will definitely write more Hannibal stories in the future Thanks for reading!

_Authors Note: I'm editing this last note, because based on past reviews I feel like I need clarify some things. I'm not a young writer, and I have stated before that I do not normally write in the typical novel style so I am well aware my writing may not be super strong. And I can tell the difference between constructive criticism and reviews that are rude. I would like to point out that this story is created by a fan, not a writer for the show, so please keep that in mind. I am not a trained writer, and this is all for fun. Pointing out weaknesses is fine and I will appreciate that, but telling me "is this some kind of joke" and begging me not to write a sequel is not pointing out a weakness, it's just being rude when you don't have to be. I'm leaving this note because the person decided to write as a guest and I cannot reply to them so I'll leave this here for future readers._

_ It's a silly story…no need to get angry about it._


End file.
